So I may have gotten a little ambitious and sprayed dullcote on my MP15 christmas present. I didn't think it looked bad untill I took a picture of it.
I took apart the locomotive ( huge props to atlas on this model, everything snaps together and the cab lights were on a plug ) and tried soaking the windows in soapy water and then scrubbing with a sponge. This only partly worked.
any better suggestions? Thank you.
Dullcote doesn't wash off, at least not with anything that will not attack the surrounding paint. At least as bad and maybe worse is ACC fumes.
Is the windshield available as a separate part? That would be the easiest solution
Is it removable? If it is there are products which restore cloudy small aircraft windshields. I once had a 1 oz sample of such a product, but I moved and there is no hope of finding it.
Another idea is headlight restorer. Headlights nowadays are plastic and they get dinged and cloudy from road dust and grime.
There are also fine grade wet dry sandpapers in your auto store. Maybe something like a 5000 grit would shine it up.
edited for incredibly bad spelling
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
BigDaddy Dullcote doesn't wash off, at least not with anything that will not attack the surrounding paint. At least as bad and maybe worse is ACC fumes. Is the windshield available as a separate part? That would be the easiest solution Is it removable? If it is there are products which restore cloudy small aircraft windshields. I once had a 1 oz sample of such a product, but I moved and there is no hope of finding it. Another idea is headlight restorer. Headlights nowadays are plastic and they get dinged and cloudy from road dust and grime. There are also fine grade wet dry sandpapers in your auto store. Maybe something like a 5000 grit would shine it up. edited for incredibly bad spelling
Yes the cab windows are removable and I had them soaking speratly.
I work at CDJR dealer and have a few headlight restore kits so I will try that route. But now thinking about opening a $40 kit to fix a $5 peice of plastic. I think I may head over to atlas's sight and see if they offer replacements.
Thank you for your suggestions
I assume the windshield assembly is a single piece that fits into all the window openings. You need to contact Atlas and see if you can get another one.
You could try gluing flat windows on the inside, but you would notice the difference.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
MisterBeasley I assume the windshield assembly is a single piece that fits into all the window openings. You need to contact Atlas and see if you can get another one. You could try gluing flat windows on the inside, but you would notice the difference.
Its 4 peices and 2 fit together to make a channel for the headlight wires. Although its more of a 7 peice now as some of the windows broke while I scrubbed them ( they broke at the connecting peice so you cant tell when theyre back in place )
Atlas lists the window set for under $5. Just need to find them as they are out of stock!
Hey lesson learned
Suggestions to try.
1) You can wetsand the glazing with 1500 to 200 grit wet/dry sandpaper, preferably 3M. Body shop supply stores usually sell them individually as well as in packs. Buff with rubbing compound on a cotton cloth and the glazing will be clear again. (The method does work as I often restore headlights, although with many more steps involved).
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
I had some Dullcote overspray on some passenger car windows recently. A Q-tip cotton swab and a little Testor's ELO cleaned them up nicely without fogging or crazing the clear styrene.
YMMV
Good Luck, Ed
Qtip soaked with mineral spirits. Take your time and it will come off, but there will likely always be residue in the crevaces. No matter, looks like weathering.
The MS should not hurt the adjacent paint since the factory paint is a water based paint that can be srtipped with alcohol. MS is solvent based, and oil and water don't mix of course.
- Douglas
Alcohol will remove it easily and not hurt the plastic.
Mark.
¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ
I second the alcohol.
Also second using E.L.O. (not the band, the Testors stuff.)
You can also polish the windows with tooth paste.
If you cand stand the wait, get the replacement windows and save yourself all the work.
Rust...... It's a good thing !
Remember that Dullcote is not the same thing as weathered, dirty, scratched or crazed plastic -- the thing that produces the 'dullness' is finely divided silica, and if you can soak the 'paint film' loose, that silica will go right along with it. Then just use progressive fine grits to polish the window panels perfectly flat (most of the molded ones have little bulges as molded that ruin the prototype appearance for me) and then use whatever plastic polish gives you acceptable shine.
Having said that -- polystyrene is an amorphous polymer, and many small-molecule solvents love to burrow in between the chains and cause irreversible fogging. I'm not sure if time gets them all out reliably, either, so polishing short of removing the fogged 'thickness' may not entirely solve the issue if solvent absorption is part of the problem.
Don't rub the silica-bearing material as you take it off, though -- that stuff is an effective, if fine, abrasive...
If you're spraying Dullcote with an airbrush, it's unlikely to be removeable. In order to use it in an airbrush, it requires a thinner, and lacquer thinner, the most efficacious thinner for that product that I've found, will be the culprit that's caused the fogged windows.
For windows on structures where I want to limit the view into or through the building, I spray the inside of the "glass" with straight lacquer thinner. That "fogs" the window, but still leaves the outside surface shiny like glass.
I can't comment on Dullcote from a spray can, though, as it may not be a lacquer-based product.
Wayne
Most of the locos I've redone, I add my own windows with clear plastic, after the dullcoat or finishing.
The few that I haven't done that way, I took the time to mask off the windows.
Mike.
My You Tube
doctorwayne If you're spraying Dullcote with an airbrush, it's unlikely to be removeable. In order to use it in an airbrush, it requires a thinner, and lacquer thinner, the most efficacious thinner for that product that I've found, will be the culprit that's caused the fogged windows. For windows on structures where I want to limit the view into or through the building, I spray the inside of the "glass" with straight lacquer thinner. That "fogs" the window, but still leaves the outside surface shiny like glass. I can't comment on Dullcote from a spray can, though, as it may not be a lacquer-based product. Wayne
I've removed dullcoat from windows that I applied from the standard regular testors spray can.
I guess I can't remember for sure if I used alcohol or mineral spirits on the q tip, but my impression is that alcohol generally wont affect rattle can paint for the most part.
gmpullman I had some Dullcote overspray on some passenger car windows recently. A Q-tip cotton swab and a little Testor's ELO cleaned them up nicely without fogging or crazing the clear styrene. YMMV Good Luck, Ed
Simon
mbinsewi Most of the locos I've redone, I add my own windows with clear plastic, after the dullcoat or finishing. The few that I haven't done that way, I took the time to mask off the windows. Mike.
''DITTO''
''Happy New Year" Mike to You & Yours......still around occasionally!
Take Care!
Frank
There is an artist's supply called the tortillon or tortillion. Also known as a Conte pencil. it is tightly wound cylinder of paper ending in a point, so it looks like a pencil. Paper is actually quite abrasive (which is why a paper cut hurts so much!). Rubbing with the point of a tortillon should bring some gleam and shine back to a DullCoated window. The edges of the window may still look dull but I doubt if the prototype windows see a lot of Windex in their lifetimes.
I have used the tortillon to smooth away a small portion of a weathered freight car so that an ACI label can be added to a "smooth" surface. I wrote about it in one of my Frugal Modeler columns in the summer 2019 NMRA Midwest Region's Waybill, and that article can be found here:
http://www.mwr-nmra.org/mwr2016/mwr-images/waybillfiles/waybill2019summer.pdf
Dave Nelson
AntonioFP45 Suggestions to try. 1) You can wetsand the glazing with 1500 to 200 grit wet/dry sandpaper, preferably 3M. Body shop supply stores usually sell them individually as well as in packs. Buff with rubbing compound on a cotton cloth and the glazing will be clear again. (The method does work as I often restore headlights, although with many more steps involved).
Thanks for the suggestion! I think that may ass up to a bit more than $4 to get replacements. But now thinking I do have anothe 2 that had the same goof so maybe it would be worth it to stock up!
Where can I find ELO?
Doughless Qtip soaked with mineral spirits. Take your time and it will come off, but there will likely always be residue in the crevaces. No matter, looks like weathering. The MS should not hurt the adjacent paint since the factory paint is a water based paint that can be srtipped with alcohol. MS is solvent based, and oil and water don't mix of course.
I will try that route. I like the weathering on the edges, makes it look like its really dirty.
Not sure where your located, are you any where near Hiawatha Hobbies? They have it.
Little Timmy I second the alcohol. Also second using E.L.O. (not the band, the Testors stuff.) You can also polish the windows with tooth paste. If you cand stand the wait, get the replacement windows and save yourself all the work.
I am a fan of ELO ( the band )
well I do have tooth paste on hand so I will try that first
But I think I can wait for new ones as the windows dont look horrible and I'm not picky.
mbinsewi Not sure where your located, are you any where near Hiawatha Hobbies? They have it. Mike.
Was just there last week! They finally had the Athearn MILW SD40-2 on clearance again so I had to grab it.
Theyre about 45-1hr from me depending if I want to take 94 or not. I HATE, and I mean HATE driving on 94 through milwaukee. Way too confusing haha. I take backroads there normally.
Im in Antioch IL right on the border
Yeah I think I will be taking the 10 min to mask on the next project
Hmm looks like I need to add one of those to my collection!
If you've already figured out how to remove those windows...they are not as easy as some since the light and glass is a tight fit (I've done it to an ATL MP15), then at least you've got ability to install new ones.
Check ebay. A lot of ATL MP15 parts are listed by a business out in WA. Not sure if he has the glass though.
Edit: He does, https://www.ebay.com/itm/MP15DC-GLAZING-SET-990203-Qty-1-ATLAS-HO/373259743638?epid=1708794130&hash=item56e803b196:g:lUAAAOSwW~hfuz6-
BTW, love that modern GATX paint scheme and the patched WC box car. Did you weather the box car?
Doughless If you've already figured out how to remove those windows...they are not as easy as some since the light and glass is a tight fit (I've done it to an ATL MP15), then at least you've got ability to install new ones. Check ebay. A lot of ATL MP15 parts are listed by a business out in WA. Not sure if he has the glass though. Edit: He does, https://www.ebay.com/itm/MP15DC-GLAZING-SET-990203-Qty-1-ATLAS-HO/373259743638?epid=1708794130&hash=item56e803b196:g:lUAAAOSwW~hfuz6- BTW, love that modern GATX paint scheme and the patched WC box car. Did you weather the box car?
thank you! I was about to repaint it into MILW colors, and stopped after I completely disassembled it. Thats when I found the windows fogged. and then I realized the GATX scheme looked to good to paint.
the wc boxcar is the latest release from athearn RTR and was weathered using tamiya weathering powders.
and thank you for the link. Very helpfull!
Ringo58thank you! I was about to repaint it into MILW colors, and stopped after I completely disassembled it. Thats when I found the windows fogged. and then I realized the GATX scheme looked to good to paint. the wc boxcar is the latest release from athearn RTR and was weathered using tamiya weathering powders.
Yeah, that GATX is too good to strip off. The ATH RTR patched cars are very nice. I'll probably get one of the WCs because of all of the patching and the conspicuity stripes, but remove the WC identification and patch it more. Letter it for a generic lessor or owner.
Good job on the weathering of the car and the loco.